Smackdown Review – 11.07.25

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Smackdown is LIVE on the USA Network and Netflix from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. The announcers for tonight’s show are Michael Cole and Corey Graves on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on backstage interviews and breaking news.

Then, Now, Forever….TOGETHER

Here’s WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes to start the show, fresh off of defeating Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cody mentions that it was McIntyre who introduced the title belt to the match on Saturday and that he had no reluctance in using it when the opportunity came. Cody calls McIntyre “the most self-sabotaging wrestler in the history of the business” and tells the crowd he’s moving on from him. Cody says he’s going to sit with the crowd and they’ll all decide who’s next in line to face him.

Here’s Aleister Black and Zelina to join the proceedings with Black mentioning he’s also ready for something new after setting Damien Priest on fire. Zelina stands between Black and Cody, and slaps Cody’s face. Here’s Smackdown GM Nick Aldis to make Rhodes versus Black in the main event tonight, but doesn’t mention whether or not it’s for the title.

Let’s see some folks arrive: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair show up together prior to Charlotte’s match with Nia Jax. Next is newly-crowned WWE Women’s Undisputed Champion Jade Cargill looking resplendent and ready to go.

Here’s WWE Men’s US Champion Ilja Dragunov on the way to the ring when he meets Tama Tonga who stares him down. Dragunov brushes that off and heads out through Gorilla.

WWE Men’s US Championship Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (C) vs Johnny Gargano

Tomasso Ciampa initially wants the Challenge because he’s big mad about Dragunov calling him a “jackass” on last week‘s show. Dragunov says he’ll accept the challenge but only from Johnny Gargano, who’s standing in a corner with Candice LeRae.

Ciampa immediately provides some distraction which allows Gargano to gain the initial advantage. Gargano’s superkick attempt is caught by Dragunov who then starts dumping Gargano on his neck with Germans. Dragunov drops a bunch of elbows and then hits a tilt-a-whirl suplex as we go to commercials.

They’re slugging it out mid-ring and Dragunov snaps off an enziguri when the show returns. Gargano fires up but Dragunov cuts it off with the Constantin Special. Dragunov hits a couple of running kicks and then drops a knee from the second rope. Dragunov’s cover gets two. Dragunov ascends and Gargano hits a superkick as Dragunov descends. Gargano hits another short superkick and a poison rana before covering for two. Gargano starts laying in chops but Dragunov counters with some of his own. Dragunov hits a headbutt and follows with a senton that gets two.

Gargano prevents an H-Bomb but still eats a big kick. Dragunov slams Gargano hard and both guys are down. LeRae interferes and Gargano snaps off a couple of DDT’s. Gargano’s cover gets two. Dragunov fires up with a kick and then yanks Gargano over the top rope for a superplex. Dragunov hits the H-Bomb and covers for three.

Not quite on the level of the Nathan Frazer defense but I’m guessing they weren’t allocated a lot of time to build to anything major. I’m sure Hunter would have loved a 40 minute finisher fest if he had his way but this isn’t a Takeover. This was fine for what it was but if you missed it you will be just fine. 2.5*

Winner and STILL WWE Men’s US Champion – Ilja Dragunov (H-Bomb)

Sami Zayn ducks into Nick Aldis’s office to complain about the MFT’s, but Aldis re-enforces that Zayn isn’t cleared medically. Zayn says he’s not going to stand by and watch what happens. Here’s R-Truth to say that he wants in the Last Time Is Now tournament and he’s putting his balls in Aldis’s hands. Aldis says his name is in the hopper, and Truth leaves.

Highlights of Jade Cargill defeating Tiffany Stratton on SNME are shown. We go to commercials.

A grumpy DIY are joined by FrAxiom backstage. They make fun of Ciampa who glares at them after they call him a jackass and leave.

Here’s WWE Women’s Undisputed Champion Jade Cargill marching to the ring. Cargill says the entire locker room is on notice and she’s “that bitch”. Cargill drops the microphone and leaves. As she’s at the top of the aisle, Charlotte Flair’s music plays and she and Alexa Bliss eye up Cargill, who immediately has words for Flair. Cargill stares down Flair and Bliss as they make their way towards ringside. Flair wants a piece of Cargill but Bliss pulls her away. We go to commercials.

Here’s Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre backstage as Green talks up her match with Giulia for the Women’s US Title. Michin and B-Fab walk up to talk trash to Green, and as that happens, here’s Jade Cargill to also threaten Green. Cargill tells B-Fab to move away from a door, so B-Fab responds in kind. Cargill challenges B-Fab for next week’s Smackdown and I bet I know how that will go.

Charlotte Flair vs Nia Jax

Did you know Jax and Flair have a 2-2 singles match record against each other? Well now you do, pal. Graves tries to ret-con Jax as Flair’s greatest antagonist and like…no. There are some slaps of disrespect and Flair goes to ground and pound. Jax fires up with a headbutt but Flair starts throwing kicks. Flair hits a rana and a dropkick. Jax fires up and smashes Flair into a turnbuckle. Jax smashes Flair in the opposite corner and we go to commercials.

Flair goes to the apron and hits Jax with a big boot before ascending. Flair hits a cross-body and goes to work with some chops as Cole points out that we’re in Flair country. Flair hits her cartwheel clothesline and ascends again. Flair hits a moonsault and Jax kicks out at two. Flair wants a Figure Eight but Jax headbutts her way out of it. Jax snaps off a sit-out powerbomb that gets two. Jax misses an Annihilator, but she manages to hoist Flair and dump her to the apron. Flair kicks Jax into a prone position and drops a knee on her from the apron for two.

Flair hits a tornado DDT and covers for two. Here’s Lash Legend climbing over the timekeeper’s barricade to start pounding on Bliss. Flair is distracted and Jax pounds her from behind before dropping Flair in a corner. Jax hits the Annihilator and covers Flair for three.

I’m so happy for Lash finally making the main roster. It’s about time and she’s earned it. We’ll see how this partnership with Nia goes because typically people that pal around with Nia don’t last too long. The match itself was slow and kind of meandering but I guess it accomplishes the goal of giving Flair and Bliss a set of opponents for Smackdown in addition to the Kabukis on Raw. 2.5*

Winner – Nia Jax (Annihilator)

Cole throws to a package on the Last Time Is Now tournament and John Cena’s last match which is now five weeks away. Nick Aldis draws the next two match-ups and they are The Miz vs Jey Uso, and LA Knight vs a SURPRISE OPPONENT. Let the speculation begin on that, I guess.

WWE Women’s US Champion Giulia and Kiana James make their way to ringside as we go to commercials.

Here’s Cathy Kelley with Nia Jax and Lash Legend backstage. Jax says she would have beaten Flair no matter what, but Jax says she has a badass friend in Legend. Legend says she and Jax are going straight to the top and tonight was just the beginning.

WWE Women’s US Championship: Giulia (C) vs Chelsea Green

Green is seconded by Alba Fyre as usual, and James remains at ringside to second Giulia. Green has her newly won AAA Mixed Tag Team championship belt with her and here’s her tag partner Ethan Page at ringside to chat about strategy.

Giulia hits a headbutt and a snap suplex to start. Giulia snaps off an Arrivederci knee and Green barely kicks out at two. Giulia dumps Green to the apron and smashes her with a right hand. Giulia bullies Green along the ropes and James gets in a shot as well. Fyre flies over to wipe out James and Giulia kicks Fyre in response. Green uses that distraction to roll up Giulia while putting both boots on the second rope. The ref counts three and does not notice the cheating, and we have a new champion just that quick.

Okay, I guess I’m not really understanding this booking decision unless Green is about to get a monster push OR they’re moving Giulia towards Cargill. However, they seemingly set up B-Fab and potentially Charlotte as opponents earlier, so I legit don’t get this booking. Anyway, the match was a complete nothing-burger and while I think Green is an excellent performer, this wasn’t exactly decisive in any way The crowd popped for the change, so I guess it worked in some way. 2*

Winner AND NEW WWE Women’s US Champion – Chelsea Green (Rope-assisted roll-up)

Post-match sees Green celebrate while Ethan Page hoists her onto his shoulder.

Here’s The MFT’s being joined by Solo Sikoa. Sikoa praises their work from last week, but mentions that Sami Zayn is still walking around, the Wyatts still have the tag titles, and Ilja Dragunov has something that belongs to them. Sikoa tells Talla Tonga to go out and make a statement in his match with Rey Fenix. As they leave, the Wyatt Sicks slither out from behind some equipment to eye them up.

Rey Fenix makes his entrance as we go to commercials.

Here’s Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss in medical. A “doctor” hands Flair an icebag, and it turns out it’s Asuka. Flair and Bliss get the BLUE MIST and Asuka and Kairi Sane cackle wildly while exiting.

Talla Tonga vs Rey Fenix

The MFT’s get jumped by Shinsuke Nakamura and The Motor City Machine Guns in the aisle, and so Fenix uses that opportunity to hit a tope on Tonga. Tonga catches another tope attempt, but Fenix slips off his back and runs Tonga into a ring post. Tonga tosses Fenix into the ring and the bell finally rings. Fenix misses a springboard moonsault but he regains control with some hamstring kicks. Tonga fires up and dumps Fenix on his face. Tonga hits a big boot that sends Fenix to the floor. Tonga drops Fenix over the barricade as we go to commercials.

Tonga trucks Fenix as he was trying a springboard. Tonga dares Fenix to hit him and then just utterly destroys Fenix with a clothesline. Tonga fires off some elbows but then misses a charge. Fenix hits a superkick and a springboard back kick. Fenix wants a sunset flip so Tonga powers him around and pops Fenix with an uppercut. Fenix catches Tonga with some kicks from the apron and then runs the ropes to kick Tonga in the head. Fenix ascends and hits a cross-body for two. Fenix hits another superkick but Tonga catches him and powerbombs Fenix. Tonga hits a massive chokeslam and covers for three.

So that was about as close to a squash as you can get with a guy like Fenix on the receiving end. Tonga just kept swatting him away and crushing Fenix with huge moves. I’m sure Fenix will be fine in the aftermath as these shows mean practically nothing overall at this point. 1.5*

Winner – Talla Tonga (Chokeslam)

Post-match sees Sami Zayn charge out with a chair to prevent further damage to a stricken Fenix. Sikoa and Tonga bail as Zayn screams at them from the ring. Sikoa points at Zayn as he and Tonga make their exit.

Cole and Graves run down the card for next week’s Smackdown which includes a non-title match between Jade Cargill and B-Fab, and the two Last Time Is Now tournament matches.

Cathy Kelley is backstage with The Miz to address his attack on Carmelo Hayes last week. Miz says he made Hayes relevant and then points out that he should have just been Cena’s final opponent since he beat Cena at Wrestlemania. Miz say that Jey Uso’s highlights will fade but Miz’s legacy will last forever. I’m going to be fully shocked when Hayes costs Miz this match next week. SHOCKED I SAY.

Aleister Black and Zelina make their entrance as we go to commercials.

Aleister Black vs WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes

This non-title, as expected. There’s some grappling to start and Black gains the advantage with a knee lift. Rhodes fires up with a facebuster suplex but Black manages to grab an armbar. Rhodes forces the break but walks into a big knee from Black as we go to commercials.

Rhodes hits a powerslam for two when the show returns. Black misses a kick and Rhodes rolls him up for two. Black kicks Rhodes in the head and gets a two count. Black pounds away in a corner but Rhodes cuts it off with a forearm. Rhodes hits another powerslam and a Disaster Kick before covering and getting two. Black slips out of a CrossRhodes attempt and blasts Rhodes with a face kick that gets a long two. Rhodes snaps off a Cody Cutter and gets two. Rhodes goes to Flip, Flop, and Fly but Black catches Rhodes with a kick and a German. Black’s cover gets two. Rhodes kicks a charging Black and Black responds with one of his own. They simultaneously kick each other and both guys are down. Here’s Drew McIntyre to hit a Claymore on the referee which prompts Rhodes to attack him.

Hunter is going out of his way to piss me off with this show and these half-ass matches tonight, my GOD. Just a complete waste of time to get to a post-match angle. Like yeah, I’m glad to see Black maybe move up a bit but there’s still going to be this damn feud with Priest that seemingly will never end. I’m OVER it. I’m also pretty much over McIntyre and Cody at this point as well, but I guess there’s no one else to tangle with until we get past Survivor Series and move into Rumble season. Anyway, there’s NOTHING here that you have to go seek out highlights for. 2*

No winner due to Drew McIntyre interference.

Post-match sees Black charge over and they start pounding away on Rhodes. Here’s Damien Priest sprinting down to the ring to fight off McIntyre and Black. Black gets dumped to the floor and Rhodes charges over to attack McIntyre. Priest dumps Zelina into the timekeeper’s area and Black thumbs Priest in the eye. Rhodes hits a Cody Cutter on McIntyre who bails to the floor. Here’s Nick Aldis to suspend McIntyre as they bark at each other. The credits roll and we’re out.

I mean, this show was not good at all. The only thing of note on this turd of a program was the debut of Lash Legend and I’m very happy for her as someone who’s watched almost everything she’s done in NXT up to this point. The usually-reliable US Open Challenge was a muted affair, the Flair-Jax match never got out of first gear, Giulia lost her title in about a minute and a half, Talla Tonga squashed the shit out of Fenix, and there was a DQ finish to the main event. What a mess all of this was, and to top it all off, Graves was wearing a beige turtleneck that will haunt me for awhile. Thumbs WILDLY down tonight.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a great Saturday and please make sure to check out all our other recappers who are just out here KILLING IT for y’all.